Such linings fulfill various functions. Firstly, they protect systems situated behind the lining from loads that are exerted in the aircraft cabin on the linings. These loads may be caused for example by passengers but also by vehicles, by means of which articles that are to be transported are brought into the fuselage. In this connection, one of the approval requirements of an aircraft is that system-related damage to systems situated behind the linings has to be either prevented or perceptible. If for example a passenger inadvertently leans against an interior lining part, it has to be guaranteed that a system situated behind the interior lining part is not damaged by this or that the interior lining part by means of visible damage indicates that something is wrong.
The interior lining parts fulfill a further function in the event of an explosive loss of internal pressure (so-called rapid decompression). In such a situation an interior lining part should not fall down in an uncontrolled manner and hence possibly injure passengers and/or block escape routes.
Finally, it has to be ensured that loads acting upon the interior lining parts do not have a negative influence on the primary structure of the fuselage.
A known solution for meeting the objectives described above consists of providing a supporting framework, the so-called lining back-up structure, which consists of large frame elements that are assembled and mounted in the aircraft. The interior lining parts are fastened removably to the frame elements. The frame elements in turn are connected to the primary structure of the fuselage by means of rods at attachment points that are reduced to a minimum in order to achieve as complete as possible a mechanical uncoupling of the frame elements from the primary structure, In this case, the rods are designed in such a way that under the effect of an excessive load they fail before the frames in order to rule out damage to the primary structure. The described solution is not only relatively heavy but it is also very difficult to guarantee that the rods fail not only sooner than the frames but also sooner than the interior lining parts.